Opinion: Obama's Hagel Logic

This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.

... opinion Journal Live by Mary Kissel from the Wall Street Journal's headquarters in New York City ... any mom in our expecting President Obama to announce his intent to nominate ... former Republican Senator Chuck cable for Secretary of defense and counter terrorism chief ... John Brennan to head the Central intelligence Agency ... editorial page editor Paul GBO joins us now to discuss Paul welcomed ... um let's start with Mr. Hinkle he's had a pretty rocky reception from factions of the left and do the right ... one move ahead with his nomination well I'm very good question I think it to it's it's an interesting fascinating nomination for that reason because he knows the president now he's gonna have to spend some political capital on behalf of Mr. ago because of this could be a substantial body of opposition to it so why do well ... presumably president believes that Hazel is the man ... for the job he wanted defense which is carrying out the White House policy defense which I think is going to the ... predominate predominately a budget cutting exercises ... and I think he figures he's getting in Hegel somebody who agrees with him ideologically ... and program at a clip ... and would be loyal to the White House makes it look bipartisan because he is a Republican in ... the slot the least nominally so I though I think with what we've heard from some of the Republicans ... I'm not sure how much bipartisan support is good ... okay so let's let's take a look then at the national security team if we have a John Kerry ... bought at state if we had a chock a goal of defense and we have a John Brennan is the head of the C I a ... what is actually tell you about how the White House is going to approach ... by financial security and foreign policy couple things one is it's much more ideologically in sick ... there's more to there's less of a difference of opinion if you can believe that the first or ... when you had ... independent thinkers ... and people of Independent stature ... Secretary State Clinton obviously her own views ... I have experienced what what how why Packer president who has been ... a lighthouse ... Italiane Panetta defense before that Robert Gates who was a holdover from Bush who it is known independent stature now you're talking about people who are going to be fundamentally agree with the White House press to fundamentally ... in some cases even to his last ... check Cable skates ... but also institution with political even got to really ... depend on the White House loyal to the White House obviously branding going replacing trails for example C I a ... a and and Hegel to the extent to which is a fight ... the president needs to expand capital on him ... to be a more varied depending on what ... this all have the votes ... my assumption operating assumption is that the president would not have gone ahead unless he had consulted with Harry Reid the Senate majority leader and Carl Webb ... the armed services chairman is a Democrat debate who told him yes you gotta go ... so if they have the votes then how should the GOP ... use this nomination fight what can and do ... well I think what they can do is use this opportunity ... to educate the American public ... not so much about it a go but use deal to educate the country about the president's foreign policy ... I think the analogy here is to fight ... your way too young for this but I think all have the warranty was so the ... Jimmy Carter's nomination to be on nominee didn't run arms control disarmament Agency in nineteen seventy seven died of cold war ... a hand ... to Jackson the Democratic Senator I knew he was gonna be on one key ... By he used the opportunity to oppose him anyway ... to try to illustrate how warranties views ... were indicative potentially a warning to the country about Carter's years ... and try to steer ... me get some commitments from warranty about arms control and it turned out to be ... in many ways ... um just as ... laid out what would happen an educational exercise yes I'm insane to think that Republicans are too careful questioning ... in the be some Democrats remember who are not sold on this guy who also wanted to ... on what really are your ... views on what you think about the president's policies towards Israel Iran Syria ... China ... and towards the Asian pivot that is a pivot without portfolio ... pivot without actual resources ... to conduct the dividend a serious way ... out when you think about the increasing Chinese succulents in the East China Sea in the South China Sea ... get paid all aam director ... Kim on the record about the F thirty five ... which he noted that the ... new fighter joint strike fighter which is increasingly Under budget pressure get among the record about what ... we need is unable ... to ... force a can of declining ... unable to declining immigrant immediate ... presume you can do this can it get him on record on those things and and and how long the way to me maybe he may well I would guess right now probably will be confirmed ... but along the way you will have ... one some commitments from him ... that may be hard to walk back from ... and second Ulan educated the public about is politics ... will work one of the president's announcement live on WS J dot com you can go to our home page that ... looking a live shot there right now ... really that that though for you call editorial page editor Paul to go and thank you for being ... with us ...